MEDIA RELEASE

KAMUELA, HI –– The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC) has announced Jennifer Rabalais, Infection Prevention Coordinator at North Hawaii Community Hospital (NHCH) has demonstrated a mastery of infection prevention and control knowledge by taking and passing the comprehensive examination.

Jennifer Rabalais

Jennifer has been NHCH’s Infection Prevention Coordinator since 2007, and this special certification is maintained through successful completion of a recertification examination every five years. “This was my first recertification as Certified Infection Control (CIC) since my initial certification five years ago, and the CBIC recertification test was much more difficult, ensuring continued on-the-job learning,” says Rabalais. “I am proud to have qualified once again for the title of Infection Prevention Coordinator at NHCH and to share knowledge with NHCH staff and patients,” says Rabalais.

As NHCH’s Infection Prevention Coordinator, Rabalais is responsible for providing infection control orientation for hospital staff, identifying and assessing the educational needs of hospital staff and providing leadership and consultation to staff in order to monitor infection control procedures in accordance with hospital policies. Jennifer is also responsible for identifying the occurrence of outbreaks or clusters of infectious diseases and monitoring nosocomial infections and antibiotic usage.

“This Infection control certification is necessary to signify professionals such as Jennifer who are competent and skilled to control, handle and limit infections,” says Lorrie Mortensen, NHCH’s Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Infections which occur in hospitals and health care institutions pose a dangerous threat, not only to the health of patients, but to health care professionals as well,” says Mortensen.

The CBIC administers the exam certifying individuals as Certified in Infection Control (CIC). The purpose of the certification process is to protect the public by: providing standardized measurement of current basic knowledge needed for persons practicing infection control; encouraging individual growth and study, thereby promoting professionalism among infection prevention and control professionals; and formally recognizing infection prevention and control professionals who fulfill the requirements for certification.

With this recertification, Jennifer joins approximately 5,000 practitioners worldwide who are Certified in Infection Control. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits CBIC’s certification program, which signifies that CBIX has met the highest national voluntary standards for private certification. CBIC periodically conducts job analyses to assure that certification measures current practices and knowledge required for infection prevention and control and applied epidemiology.

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CIBC) is a voluntary autonomous multidisciplinary board that provides direction for and administers the certification process for professional infection prevention and control and applied epidemiology. CBIC is independent and separate from any other infection control related organization or association. For more information about CBIC, please visit www.cbic.org.